Poison Apple
by Noiz Viruz
Summary: "Just one bite and all of your dreams will come true." But that is not the case with Akashi Seijuuro, despite being the epitome of perfection, no one is perfect, after all everyone has their own inner demon, and every apple carries their own kind of poison. The selected victim of His Majesty, the golden beauty, Kise Ryouta. Akashi x Kise. Romance/Angst/Tragedy/Drama
1. The Inner Monster

**Hello everyone. This is my second KnB fanfic and first fic to this rather odd pairing. They may rather be a strange combination for a couple, but anyway I like random pairings and I need more Akashi x Kise in my life and this pairing need more love. So I want to write a fic about them but most of all, I just need to get this idea out of my head and I'm glad that I finally did. Therefore, I apologize in advance for the bad English and wrong grammars. English is not my native language so I hope you'll understand. Kuroko no Basuke and its characters belonged to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. I only owned the plot and nothing else. Any similarity of this fanfic to other works is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. **

**Summary: "Just one bite and all of your dreams will come true." But that is not the case with Akashi Seijuuro, despite being the epitome of perfection, no one is perfect, after all everyone has their own inner demon, and every apple carries their own kind of poison. The selected victim of His Majesty, the golden beauty, Kise Ryouta. Akashi x Kise. Romance/Angst/Tragedy/Drama**

One: The Inner Monster

"_I'm friends with a monster that's under my bed, and along with the voices inside of my head." –The Monster, Rihanna ft. Eminem_

A voice. He heard a voice coming out of nowhere. Akashi turned his head left to right. There it is. The boy is certain that he heard a voice. It was calling out his name in a hushed whisper. That's not the voice of his beloved mother, as Akashi's mother is already dead and was lying quietly in front of him inside her coffin. _"Seijuuro…"_ It was a male voice. _"Seijuuro!"_ The voice said loud and clear this time, and Akashi swears without a doubt that it came from inside his head. _"Seijuuro." _The owner of the voice stated firmly, the boy was bewildered to hear his own voice.

"Who are you?" Akashi asked to no one. He was all alone facing the remnants of the Lady of the Akashi household as people had already left after paying their respect and prayers to Akashi's mother. The Lady of the Akashi household passed away due to an incurable illness.

"_You know who I am, Seijuuro."_ The voice replied and Akashi felt the owner of the voice smirk even without him seeing it. It was him speaking inside his head. His own voice inside his head. Him talking to his own self inside his head. The boy suddenly wasn't sure who he is anymore_. "We'll meet again Seijuuro, sooner or later."_ The voice said in a promising tone as it quietly disappeared as if it marched away out of his head.

"Seijuuro." This time it is the voice of his father as the head of Akashi household beckoned his son that it is time to go and turned on his heels without waiting for the younger Akashi expecting his son to follow him like how the young heir to the Akashi corporation followed his father as the boy took one last look with a small trace of sorrow in his ruby-red eyes. He had never cried. Even when he received the news about the death of his mother Akashi didn't shed a single tear, but he remembered how his whole body trembled upon receiving the tragic news even until now, he could feel his whole body trembling but not as shaky as before. It is now only just a slight tremble. He had never cried. And he'll never will. Because tears signs weakness. And crying is for the weak. And Akashi is not weak. He'll never be. Because he isn't allowed to. He is raised to be strong, and made to be absolute. To be absolute at everything.

The boy walked behind his father with an unwavering determination, reminding himself and training his mind like how he'd been doing ever since he was born, like how he'd been ordered to do so. _Because winning is everything_. Akashi kept repeating to his self like a silent mantra in his own head. And to the other side of his head, deep, deep, deep, in his thoughts, someone heard him. The figure grinned menacingly, indulging itself to the boy's mantra. Eating it all hungrily with his ears. _"That's right…Keep it going…Seijuuro…" _The figure said as it stepped on to the light revealing Akashi himself except there is something wrong with this another Akashi. One of his eyes is color yellow, gleaming eerily across the vast space inside the intellectual mind of one Akashi Seijuuro. Locked in the deepest, darkest thoughts of his mind lies a monster waiting for his chance to escape and take over.

Back to the real world, little did Akashi know, the poison is starting to spread all over his body. That will eat him inside and out…

Jumping to the present time, the young heir to one of the largest conglomerate corporation in Japan, steps out onto the sidewalk without waiting for his chauffeur to open the car door for him as he did it by himself. "Starting from today you will drop me on to this block as I will walk the rest of the way." Akashi stated casually but knowing the young master of the Akashi household, it is a command.

"But Seijuuro-sama…" The middle aged male chauffeur began. "Your father specifically instructed me to…" Whatever he will say next, Akashi had already cut off his protest with a sharp look. His ruby-red eyes narrowing and gleaming as the bright morning sun casted upon him that the fiery light in his catlike ruby-red irises matches with the color of his hair. He was burning red. And it was enough for the middle aged chauffeur who had been serving for the Akashi household for quite a very long time to shake on his knees. Fear, and respect in his old, tired eyes. The boy smirked and didn't even hide it. "Tell father that I can handle myself perfectly well. Giving me rides in this kind of vehicle," Akashi tapped the hood of the black limousine with his deft hand. "Will only just attract a lot of attention, it'll be quite a bother you know." He said as he smoothly turned on his back. "And at least let me have my own freedom in school." Akashi said quietly before he went off to his new school.

_Another new beginning_. The red-head thought to himself as he took a short stop in front of the school gates to admire the exterior of the prestigious Teikou Middle School. The wind swiftly blew through his face, his spiky fiery red locks swayed along the breeze that caught a lot of attention, as Akashi stride inside confidently with every poised step. He heard whisperings directing on him as he made his way inside the school grounds and then to the school's gymnasium where the opening ceremony will began.

Akashi stood up on his seat when the principal called him to the stage. _"Yes, this is a new beginning."_ He heard the voice inside his head as the red-head stood confidently in front of everyone. The boy gave his speech and afterwards everyone clapped their hands. He could see the awe on their faces. Those looks of admiration, on him as Akashi gave a small tight smile. _"Yes, this is the beginning for me."_ The voice said mysteriously but the red-head ignored it as he took a courteous bow and went to his designated place beside the teachers. The monster inside him laugh but of course Akashi couldn't hear it as the monster who looks Akashi himself continue to laugh to himself amused while watching the whole scene through Akashi's eyes.

And there he saw it. A flash of yellow somewhere in the crowd. Like the color of the monster's other eye. There he saw it again, standing tall at the back in the seemingly endless rows of line. Gazing at him with pure unconcealed admiration. Ruby-red eyes meets luminescent-gold, with its long doll-like eyelashes fluttering at the sight of the red emperor, as the monster like to called himself, but the owner of those luminescent-gold only sees the outside him, only Seijuuro, not the one residing within the red-head, as the owner of those captivating gold stared at Seijuuro with awe written on that beautiful face. The monster hadn't seen someone as beautiful as the owner of those luminescent-gold.

On the corner of his eyes, someone caught Akashi's attention. Standing at the very back in one of the rows of line, a tall boy with an incredibly handsome face and striking blonde hair stared across him. Meeting the impudent stranger's stare with his own predatory stare, the two had a staring match, and the red-head found him drowning at the other boy's luminescent-gold eyes that were staring innocently at him with an evident look of admiration on them. Some of his fringe falls perfectly framing his handsome face with those soft-looking blonde locks that matches perfectly with those luminescent-gold eyes. The tall boy didn't break his stare. And Akashi is quite challenge. He could tell from this distance that the other boy is fairly tall his height passing a model. It took quite a long time when the other boy crinkled his eyes just noticing that the red-head was staring back at him and quickly turned his head away rather shyly, his blonde locks swayed along from the gesture.

Akashi smirked in triumph. The rest of the ceremony went on, and red-head never took his eyes away from the impudent golden stranger who dared to look at him in the eyes and even went beyond by staring at him. "Yes, yes…that's it Seijuuro." The red-head said quietly, and Akashi slightly gasped in surprise as he touched his lips. By some strange force, his mouth just moved on its own. _The voice_. It belonged to him. He just spoke, right? But the words that came out were not his because he didn't construct those words. It just came out without a thought. It wasn't him. He wasn't the one who spoke. Unbeknown to Akashi, his lips curved into an unconscious malignant grin. The monster inside him chuckled darkly.

A slightly tiring first day of school had passed. Akashi went straight in his room, ignoring the greeting servants on his way as he stare at the large mirror in front of him attaching at the corner on the wall of his room. Staring at his own ruby-red eyes, the red-head is still wearing his school uniform. He looks regal and calculated for perfection on any clothing. Akashi mused to himself as he admired his absoluteness. Cocking his head on the side playfully with some of his burning red locks falling on the sides of his face and a mischievous smile present on his lips. He has a handsome face as he continue to admire his physical appearance.

The boy's eyes slightly widen when he saw himself acting foolishly and immediately backed away from the mirror. Akashi usually never bothered to assess his looks. "What am I doing?" The red-head said to himself as he unconsciously looked on to his hands. Wondering what just happened to him. It's like he was not himself. Or it was not just really him. Akashi stared defiantly back at the mirror, staring defiantly back at his own ruby-red irises.

"What's with that look Seijuuro?" The red-head saw his lips move, or rather he just spoke, but it was not him. Bewildered look stared back at him on the mirror, Akashi sees how bewildered he looks. "Stop looking surprise Seijuuro, you're making a fool out of yourself." He spoke again, against his own will. And Akashi was narrowing his eyes in disapproval. Something's strange is going on. The red-head is not in control of his own movements. He saw himself grin wickedly on the mirror. The Akashi on the mirror looked amused.

Akashi thinned his lips into a scowl, but his reflection on the mirror didn't change as the Akashi on the mirror just continued to grin wickedly at him clearly amused of his displeasure. "You are the one who is making a fool out of my own self." He shot back, and finally he could see his own reflection had followed his movements with his lips formed into a scowl. "Who are you? Who gave you permission to access my thoughts and movements?" The red-head muttered to the Akashi on the mirror, or rather to himself.

To his surprise, the Akashi on the mirror, or rather Akashi himself started to laugh rather hysterically with his head ungracefully throwing up and down with a hand on his stomach while the other hand is slapping on the side of his leg in mirth. "Seijuuro~, Seijuuro~…" He said to himself in a sing sang voice and when he lifted his head, there Akashi saw one of his eyes glowing a bright yellow, an eerie yellow.

Akashi touched the mirror, touching his own reflection, touching the reflection of the yellow iris as it stared back at him menacingly while his other eye, his own real original ruby-red eye just stared at shock. He has two eyes with two entirely different emotions mirroring inside them. As if he had two different personalities. And it hit him as the boy realized it. All these years he chose to ignore it, ignore _him_. Dismissing it, _him_ as just a fraction of his imagination.

"That's really cruel of you, Sei-kun~." He found himself talking again and his ruby red-eye instantly narrowed at the mention of his old nickname that his beloved mother had only use to call her son. That nickname is a sign of her affection and proof of her love. Akashi will not forgive anyone who will use that nickname mockingly. He will not forgive anyone who will dare to call him that except his dead mother. Because only his beloved mother can call him that. He will not forgive anyone even it is his own self. "Heh~ defying your own self Seijuuro?" The glint on his yellow eye is clearly amused.

"You are deluding yourself. You are not me." Akashi stated.

His body shook into a small maddening laughter and saw his own reflection staring maniacally back at him. His yellow eye widening, almost bulging if that's possible, in pure amusement and madness. "You are a delusional creature already Seijuuro." The Akashi on the mirror said with a snakelike smile. "I am You and You are Me. That is an absolute fact. And no one can change it, not even you, because we are one." And with that, his yellow eye vanished and returned to its own lovely ruby-red color.

Akashi stayed for a while in front of the mirror, staring back at his own reflection, blinking in slight confusion and wondering if the event just really happened. Acting like an Akashi, the red-head calmly took in the situation and accepted the undeniable and _quite_ unfortunate fact about his self. He smiled bitterly, as he realized something.

Akashi Seijuuro is not perfect. The red-head was raised to become a perfect individual. All of his life, attaining perfection in every area is his goal, the reason for his being. And Akashi Seijuuro has failed, he is a failure to the name of the Akashi's, Seijuuro doesn't have a right to be an Akashi.

The monster inside of him chuckled quietly, lying on the deepest darkest part of his thoughts, there the monster quietly wait for the poison to fully disseminate. Just a little bit more…

And eventually, someone will fall victim.

_Owari_

**Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.**

**I enjoyed writing Akashi here though I admit he's a hard and challenging character to portray and I hope I pinned it , even it's just a bit, like from the canon. Akashi is already quite a perplexing character to begin with in the canon. Though I really enjoyed writing about Akashi discovering and exploring his own inner demon, hence the **_**other**_** Akashi, he and he has the same trait but they are entirely two different beings in one body. Thus, if you had noticed the other Akashi is kind of playful and carefree compared to the serious and reserved real Akashi, that's how I will try to differentiate the two Akashi and both personality had an affect or affects each other. Anyway, I still want to apologize if you ever find Akashi OOC here QAQ**

**Reviews are always appreciated :-) **


	2. Sunflower

**Here's a New Year update! I was really busy and will be busy again so I apologize if the update took long and will take long again, unfortunately. Again, I apologized for the bad English and wrong grammars. English is not my native language so I hope you'll understand. Kuroko no Basuke and its characters belonged to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. I only owned the plot and nothing else. Any similarity of this fanfic to other works is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. **

Two: Sunflower

Bright. So bright. The kind of brightness that radiates like the sun. That's the kind of impression that he have toward a certain individual. His being is like the sun himself. Bright, and radiating. His physical appearance is just an addition; blonde hair, handsome face, well-built body, and those gold-luminescent eyes. _Captivating_. His eyes are just so captivating, no his existence is captivating. Akashi had never seen someone as bright as him. His very presence brings light to everyone around him, a ray of his light had reached through the redhead's deepest darkest other being. Shining, and shimmering as 'He' watched the golden beauty through Seijuuro's eyes. It appears that his name is Kise Ryouta. The first syllable of his surname, 'Ki' represents the color yellow, and it matched perfectly on him. Kise was also apparently his classmate.

Though the boy was bright like the sun, academically and mentally speaking, he wasn't that 'bright'. Kise is kind of naïve, and dumb. Akashi was sitting on the front in the teacher's desk leaving him in charge of watching over the class while their teacher is out in a faculty meeting. He was also given the authority to lead the class by voting him as class president. So far everything is going smoothly and his classmates were cooperative as well, his vice president a green haired boy named Midorima Shintarou is very capable too. Akashi peered over his paper, his ruby-red catlike irises focusing on the spun of gold who is doing his best to solve the math problem on the paper that were contributed to everyone. The redhead had already finished his, something as easy as this was no match for the special education training he received from his father.

Kise caught him staring and at the same, a voice in his mind said, _"Ooops."_ Akashi didn't look away feeling that there's no need to, he likes watching the other boy. Discomfort reflects on those gold-luminescent eyes as the blonde quickly averted his gaze like before, after seems like an eternity just staring at each other's eyes. The redhead finds it loutish, feeling that those who doesn't serve him has no right to look him in the eyes, though at the same time, aware that there is something wrong with his kind of thinking. As if something is flipping inside him like a switch. Akashi tried to be rational and came to a conclusion that it was unreasonable and rude for him to stare at someone like that. He doesn't have any ill intention but still caused discomfort to his classmate; Akashi decided that he ought an apology to Kise Ryouta after school for his inappropriate behaviour.

"_Why do you need to apologize, Seijuuro? That's completely unnecessary."_ A voice inside his head hissed in disapproval. _"That's not the course of action you should take, you are going against the principle you are taught to Seijuuro."_

"Be quiet." Akashi muttered to himself.

"Akashi." A firm voice called out to him. It was Midorima Shintarou handing out all the papers that he must have been collected by himself from their classmates. "The bell had already ringed."

"Ah. Sorry." The redhead said and took the papers from the greenhead boy. He apologized for not being able to help him collect the papers but his vice president just dismissed it.

"Sagittarius will tend to space out today, whether it's a good thing or bad thing the cause is completely unknown." Midorima mysteriously began, it confused Akashi before when the greenhead asked for his birthday out of all topic he could choose to open up a conversation though Akashi saw nothing wrong and it's a harmless question anyway, now the redhead had gotten used to his vice president's extraordinary interest. Midorima took something out from his pocket and handed him, unexpectedly a sunflower pin and the redhead looked at him questioningly but still accepted it. "It's Sagittarius' lucky item today."

"I assume this is one of your precious lucky items?" Akashi inquired with mild interest as he studied the sunflower pin on his hand. It's a hairclip.

"Yes, and I'm giving it to you." The greenhead answered passively.

Akashi let out a small amused smile and politely thanked his vice president. "Well, for all I know Midorima just wanted to get rid of this cute sunflower hairclip before anyone could know he has a feminine object in possession." The redhead joked, and added, "Because you'll never lend your lucky items for free much less give it."

Midorima pushed up his glasses and looked sternly at the other boy. "You're sharp Akashi, looks like you don't need my lucky item after all, but I will not take it back as I have already given it to you." The greenhead remarked and excused himself.

Time do flew fast and class had already ended before Akashi could feel it as he went to the faculty room and submitted all the papers to their teacher. When he got out of the faculty room, Akashi took the hairclip out of his pant-pocket and wistfully stared at it. The bright color and the flower itself remind him of someone. As if the gods had listened to his prayer, although the redhead doesn't believe in the existence of gods, he sees the spun of gold running along with some soccer club's members as the uniform they're wearing indicated, and Akashi is mildly surprise that the boy is in a club.

The young heir to the Akashi Corporation had never joined any club to his previous school. Thinking that he will just surpass everyone because of the special training he received from his household it will not be fair to the other kids, plus soccer is not the kind of activity that he wanted to participate, he preferred using the mind instead of the body though it doesn't mean that Akashi is not physically acquainted, he was just not simply a fan of breaking a sweat and doing strenuous things like sports, except there's this one sport that he really 'loved', and Akashi quietly shakes his head at the thought.

He followed the rather loud group in slight interest, to the open field of their school and silently watch the golden being named Kise Ryouta. While watching the boy play, Akashi immediately noticed a very remarkable skill from the blonde. The redhead unconsciously smirked and started to walk away after being satisfied of his discovery.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Kise Ryouta noticed a mop of red exiting the open field. "Oi Kise, watch out!" A panic voice shouted and before the ball could ruin his handsome face, the blonde was much faster and reflexively kicked the ball to the other side as it hit instead in the opponent's net. His teammates run towards him and all of them cheered for their small victory. It was just practice, and for Kise it's just a recreational activity, nothing to be excited about.

He forced a smile out of respect and politeness as his hypothetically teammates praised him and some even gave him a vigorous handshake and a slap on the back as if they're close friends with him while Kise watched them mutely talking to him about how the Teikou soccer team could win in the regionals if they have a skilful player like him.

"Aaahh…" The blonde inwardly signalled to himself and with his best model smile and a polite slight courteous bow, he turned down their obvious invitation. His upper-class men were visibly disappointed but they respect his decision and suggested that he's welcome anytime to join the soccer club if he changes his mind. When he lifted his head up and looked to the side where he spotted the mop of red it was already gone. Letting out a deep sigh and disappointed for an unknown reason, Kise exited the field.

Akashi was leaning back on a tree hiding him perfectly from Kise Ryouta's view as the boy passed by without noticing the redhead. He saw the other boy had looked on his direction where he exited and seemed looking for Akashi. A small smile slipped on the redhead's face at the thought and he headed back to the school building.

Kise changed onto his school uniform after taking a quick shower cleansing him from all the sweat and dust at today's soccer activity. It's actually just a try-out and then as expected everyone wanted him in, like the other entire clubs do, but Kise flatly rejected them all. After showing just some few skills from copying his opponent and own teammate's moves they were all completely fascinated about him. It's not like he did something extraordinary, he just copied their moves and add more power on it. Heck, they are not even worth copying on as they were all just weak and so on. The blonde checked his phone and aside from the fan mails, he received a message from his sister saying that she had already sent his picture in one of the famous modelling agencies.

"Aaah, my fanbase will surely grow and I already even have a fanbase even though I'm haven't formally debuted yet." Kise said in a bored tone as he shuts his locker and prepared to go home.

Ryouta is the youngest child and only boy of the Kise family. Both of his parents are working abroad and he has two older sisters who were both have their own jobs although the eldest one was already married and had a family of her own, the other one still lives in their house which Kise is very grateful for. He's only thirteen years old and it's impossible to live on his own, his older sister is very caring and loving and it's enough for him.

To sum it all up, Kise is from a common simple middle-class family. He wasn't sure if his family belonged to the middle class, all that he knows is that they're not poor neither rich, they eat three times with additional afternoon or midnight snacks, his parents and sisters provides him everything that he needs, heck why do people have social classes anyway? It's making Kise's brain hurt. The boy admitted that he is not quite fond of studying thus he is not that academically incline, though he is proud to say that his best subject (amongst all the bad ones) is English.

Unlike that certain person he knows, Kise involuntarily frowned at the thought of a redheaded boy who happened to be his classmate. Rummaging through his bag, the blonde realized he left his math textbook in their classroom. Fighting the urge to just retrieve it back tomorrow and go straight home to get some good night rest, he suddenly remembered they have a math quiz tomorrow morning and he can't afford to come unprepared. His academic records were already bad as it is and surely his sister will shout at him if he gets a zero mark. With another heavy sigh, Kise decided to go back to his classroom and as soon as he arrives the blonde is welcomed by a quite surprising view.

Akashi Seijuuro, top entrance exam notcher and class president of their class section, was sleeping quietly on their teacher's desk with his arms neatly folded under his head giving Kise a clear look of his handsome sleeping face. Abruptly unsure of what to do, the blonde quietly walked inside with each careful step afraid that he might wake up the redhead. Why is he even afraid of waking him up anyway? He doesn't know. Kise just feels something is off about Akashi. The way he stared at him when Kise caught the other boy's eyes gazing at him quite many times. And the blonde doesn't have the courage to confront their class president.

Kise is not afraid of him; it's just that almost everyone looks up on the redhead because of his intelligence and capabilities. Everyone says Akashi Seijuuro is a genius. Girls also admired him because of his handsome regal looks like where could you see anyone with burnished red hair like Akashi Seijuuro, and the surname Akashi is already a killer, Kise have just learned that the redhead came from a very distinguished and powerful family. The teachers admired him, his classmates admired him, and even he Kise Ryouta admires Akashi Seijuuro. Maybe that's the reason why he couldn't confront the redhead it's because he also admires him like everyone else and it makes him feel nervous. And partly he is also quite scared of him, Kise admits. The other boy sometimes just gives off that aura when he wants to be alone or annoyed, the blonde noticed.

Akashi Seijuuro have this natural trait on him that made him a good leader and sometimes his superiority makes you want to crawl underneath him, Kise doesn't know where is this coming from he just feels there is something odd with the redhead but maybe it's just his imagination, giving him the goose bumps…

Akashi suddenly moves that Kise instantly freezes on his feet but the redhead seems to be still sleeping soundly. His messy fiery red locks that seems to be burning against the light of the setting sun which often gives him a powerful dominant look but now Akashi seems like any normal growing teenager when he sleeps, he looks tranquil and peaceful.

Kise remembered the first time he saw the redhead, only a few minutes before the opening ceremony, a sleek black limousine parked around a curb, near along Teikou Middle School. The blonde was still sleepy that he is quite dozing off while on his way to his new middle school when the fancy vehicle caught his attention immediately stirring his senses up. He decided to take a short look and there he saw him, coming out of the expensive luxurious vehicle.

Kise blinked a few times when he checked on the other boy's clothes and was wearing the same uniform as him, the boy appeared to be around his age with striking red hair that seems to be burning brilliantly against the morning light of the sun. _Some big-shot is attending the same school as me?_ Kise first thought to himself. The last time he checked, Teikou Middle School is a public school as prestigious as it is, not an exclusive private school where students could go riding on a limousine on their way.

But the first thing that Kise noted to Akashi when he saw him the first time was the way he carried himself. His posture is too perfect, too dignified, and domineering at most. Kise kind of gets it that the other boy must be super rich like maaan he just got off from a limousine! And with a middle aged looking man who appeared to be his chauffeur, there's no doubt that the redhead was stinking rich, Kise won't be surprise if the boy happens to be a prince or some kind of monarch.

He heard him spoke to his chauffeur and the blonde felt fear passed through him even though it was directed to the middle-aged man. The intensity. Kise felt an intensity and the look on the boy's eyes will make anyone cower but at the same time, a sprung of admiration towards the redheaded boy. And he doesn't know why. Maybe that's the effect of Akashi Seijuuro to all people. When he saw him again called up on stage during the opening ceremony, Kise was honestly surprise to learn that the boy he just saw this morning was really a hotshot, the real deal.

_Akashi_. One of the most well-known family and conglomerate corporation in Japan that without them, Japan is not one of the leading countries when it comes to economic power. And when the redhead gave his speech, the way he delivered it exuded confidence and undeniable intelligence that only a distinguishable family like the Akashi possessed. The thirteen year old heir had dominated the whole crowd. He's a genius everyone said; a young genius. Kise had unconsciously glued his eyes on the redhead and when said redhead was actually staring back at him Kise realized, the blonde was so embarrassed that even now he avoided Akashi's inquisitive looks and Akashi himself. He knows it's ridiculous but the redhead is also being ridiculous himself, _why does he keeps staring at me?_ Kise asked himself a countless times. As if he's pinning him on the spot with those sharp ruby-red catlike eyes that Kise had to look away every time even though Akashi was the one who always start it first and he finds it really unfair…

Kise stopped on his track when he realized what he was about to do, his hand is just mere centimeters away from touching Akashi Seijuuro's head. _W-what the hell am I thinking?_ Of course, he's not going to pet or pat his head like a dog, he was just close to waking up the redhead. He just even realized he had just walked in front of Akashi! Closing his out-held palm, Kise was about to retract his hand when suddenly Akashi caught his wrist and pulled him down. The blonde was forced to meet Akashi's predatory gaze. Those ruby-red catlike eyes of his resemble a lion now. Kise caught his breath_. Is the other boy mad at him now? For disturbing his sleep?_ Akashi's grip on him is quite surprisingly strong despite the huge difference of their height and body built.

Kise was taller and physically bigger than Akashi but the way the smaller boy held him now like a captive made him look like smaller instead. "Looks like my prey was caught and got trapped himself."

"Eh?" The impudent golden beauty dumbly said with those long doll-like eyelashes fluttering in great confusion. His face, which is too close for the boy and Seijuuro's liking, but the emperor doesn't care. He will take this chance to examine Kise Ryouta more closely. There was no sign of any blemishes on that perfectly smooth looking skin. "A-akashi-san?" The golden beauty said in clear discomfort as the emperor continued to invade his personal space. His unbelievably strong grip would likely leave a mark. Their noses are almost touching each other that he could see his and Seijuuro's reflection on Kise Ryouta's gold-luminescent eyes that doesn't fail to captivate him. The impudent golden beauty tried to break away but Akashi wouldn't have any of that and held his grip stronger, almost digging his nails on Kise's wrist and a flash of pain appears on the other boy's eyes. The emperor is yet captivated again. Unconsciously he grins to himself at the mark he made on Kise Ryouta's wrist, and tried to squeeze him again leaving more deep marks. "Ah! Akashi-san let go! It hurts!"

By the sound of Kise Ryouta's scream, Seijuuro quickly let him go as if he just woke up from a terrible dream, gaining his senses back and finally have control over himself. "Ki-se?" He said in question and Akashi was about to ask what does the blonde need from him when he noticed how the other boy is holding his wrist. His eyebrows furrowed and the redhead grimaced when he realized what had just occurred. Kise was just watching Akashi's expressions, he was unable to move from the shock that he was just standing there, watching Akashi with bewildered eyes. The redhead seems to be displeased of what happen, when earlier the boy had looked like a maniac of some sort that Kise couldn't comprehend and he doesn't want to. Akashi quickly took advantage of the blonde boy's shock. "We should go to the clinic." Seijuuro didn't wait for the other boy's answer and gently took him by the hand and led him to the school clinic.

[To be continue…]

**Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The season 3 of the anime will be coming out soon and YAY! I can't wait to see Akashi-kun and Kise-kun again. The 'extra' story or like sequel of the manga also looked exciting. Anyway, have a good new year everyone! Reviews are always appreciated :-)**


	3. Fire

**Here's an update before season 3 will start! Or is it starting already? XD I know this is a crack pairing but I just love Akashi x Kise, even though I only got a few fave and follow in this fic I still enjoy writing it the most, compare to my other fics XDD Again, I apologized for the bad English and wrong grammars. English is not my native language so I hope you'll understand. Kuroko no Basuke and its characters belonged to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. I only owned the plot and nothing else. Any similarity of this fanfic to other works is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. **

Three: Fire

When he was young, around the age of a little boy, he remembered his mother scolded him when she caught him playing with fire while lighting those tiny match sticks. He almost hurt himself at that time, almost burned his own hand. Since that incident Kise's mother had prohibited her son to go near the fire or any flammable matter that could hurt him and Ryouta himself developed a small phobia when it comes to any fiery-looking objects. Because if he touches that fire, it will burn him, kill him, and turn him into ashes, like what his mother said before she and his father left for abroad to work. But despite of this, the element of fire has a charm which is hard to resist even for someone like Ryouta, he knows it is dangerous and yet exciting, even though he swore that he'll never repeat the same mistake again, or so he thinks.

It was a big mistake to touch the fire, no matter how captivating it looks, in fact he hasn't even touch it, yet it caught him; burning his wrist in silent pain, working its flame on its way by digging through his skin. He cried but the fire didn't stop as it continues to consume him. Kise almost lose hope to escape when it abruptly stop as it abruptly started, leaving him bloodied small cuts on his fair skin that will surely leave scars.

The trip to the infirmary is silent, neither of them speak, perhaps too shock of what happened even the fire-starter itself. His wrist still burn, but the hand holding him is unexpectedly warm. So warm, that it reminds him of the days where he would just sit next to the fireplace in his woollen clothes with a mug of hot chocolate on his hands while watching the blazing ember underneath his blanket to bat away the cold. Those were the good times of his childhood.

"We're here." Akashi announces as they arrive in front of the infirmary clinic and knock twice before sliding the door open. As he expected no one is around, the staffs must have gone home, leaving him responsible to treat the other boy's wounds. He pulls the blonde after him and asks him to sit in one of the beds. Kise complies without any complaint and sits like an obedient dog, his movements seem all robotic that it make Akashi slightly frown.

The red head proceeds to treat Kise Ryouta's wounds by himself while occasionally taking glances to his patient and said patient is implausibly silent the entire time that they were together and Kise hasn't spoke at him not even once for the whole six weeks that they've been classmates when Kise is known for being loud and friendly, the blonde is practically friends with everyone including the finical Midorima Shintarou, but it seems Akashi is the only exception, not that he mind but actually he really does mind just NOW. "Are you not going to hit me?"

Hearing Akashi's voice breaking through the deafening silence make Kise snaps and he involuntarily flinches when the redhead dab the cotton right on his fresh open wounds, they were just small cuts but still they hurt like hell. But what stirs him is the question their class president posed. "What?" He finally said after a few moments and silently asks for confirmation if he had heard the other boy right.

Normally Akashi would be annoyed, he hates to repeat himself but seeing the blonde isn't mute after all he decides to let it slide just this once. "I said are you not going to hit me?" He asks once again and those gold-luminescent eyes just stare at him in confusion. "I have done something terrible to you, aren't you going to get angry on me?" The redhead explains trying to elucidate his purpose. He is ready to accept any punishment for his earlier behaviour even though without knowing what he had actually done and Seijuuro has an idea, no it was the other 'him' who is the real responsible for hurting his blonde classmate and Akashi believes it is just right to correct him from what is wrong and hopes it would teach the 'other' a lesson.

"_Seijuuro…"_ Akashi hears the other him gritting through his teeth. _"What in the world are you trying to do? We are absolute, we do not bow down to other people, and they are the ones who should bow down to us."_

"But I'm the one at fault." Seijuuro converses in his mind, to his surprise the other him has heard him. _"Still, we Akashis are born to be superior amongst all others; you and I are made to step over everyone and anyone who will hinder our way."_ The emperor said sternly that every word weighs heavily in Akashi's mind which is honestly too much to bear. Having someone dictates you of what to do; the redhead is soon getting tired of it, and even in his own mind Seijuuro would never find peace. Nonetheless, Akashi swore that he would not deny his other self again. They are two people in one body even though it's hard to believe but Seijuuro has no choice but to believe and learn to accept 'him' as a part of Akashi Seijuuro's existence.

"Um…" Kise interrupted even though he isn't sure if he's really interrupting, as there's only him and Akashi inside the infirmary, but the latter seems heavily preoccupied like he is in a deep thought. The 'troubled' slanting of his perfectly shaped eyebrows and the ferocious look on his ruby-red catlike eyes shows another side of Akashi Seijuuro behind that proclaimed young genius's face. Kise has just discovered it just a while ago. The redhead turns to look up at him with his face clear from all trouble that seemed eating him earlier. "I'm not going to do anything stupid like hitting Akashi-san or anything of that sort…" He catches Akashi raising his eyebrow at the word 'stupid' and Kise clears his throat and continue. "But to tell Akashi-san the truth, I'm quite angry of what you did back there." The blonde finish without stuttering and he has no idea why he feels so proud about that. And to his surprise the redhead let out a small chuckle, but what surprise him more is that he doesn't feel offended.

Akashi seems to appear to be mocking him but strangely Kise knew it isn't like that. The young heir is just amuse with his lips curving into a small smile which is kind of nice compare to his usual guarded look like Akashi has to look out for everything that might outsmart the young genius. "You are just 'quiet' angry after I hurt you?" The redhead asks sounding surprise though it is obvious that he's just feigning to be one, while holding out the wrist he's treating.

Kise takes a look for the first time on his wrist in Akashi's careful clutches, he could feel the heat of his hand seeping through his skin, ignoring the small cuts that disfigures before his fair unblemished skin. He thought the redhead's hand would be cold like his personality sometimes but it is actually quite the opposite and unexpectedly Kise finds Akashi's warmth kind of comforting. He didn't burn like he assumed, long ago he developed a phobia in fire because of a little accident he had when he was a kid, the fire would burn him, hurt him, and kill him, and like a scared little child he avoided anything that would remind him of the flames that could have almost took his life, including the color red.

Akashi Seijuuro is a perfect reminder of Kise's bad apple, and it just perfectly makes sense to him of why he avoided the redhead aside from those little 'staring' incidents, and yet like a moth drawn to its fire, the blonde realizes he has been captivated before he even knows it. However being caught with Akashi's fire seems not that bad, for now. Kise honestly enjoy the warmth of his hand and of course he would not say it out loud. "Akashi-san treating my wounds is enough for me, thank you… although you're the one who caused it, hahaha…" He said jokingly and forces out a laugh but it turn to be an awkward one while the redhead just watches his failed attempt to lift up the atmosphere with red deadpan eyes.

The blonde slightly pouts at that and Akashi almost raise an eyebrow but stops himself when the other boy dared to pout in front of him like a five year old who is not please of the least of attention. "But if Akashi-san would apologize, then maybe I'll stop being 'quite' angry…" Kise said stubbornly while puckering his lips to the side in the most childish way the redhead has ever seen, much less someone acts bratty in front of an Akashi. Seijuuro and everyone before him were disciplined people.

"_It seems the golden fool still doesn't know his place yet…"_ The emperor sneers in Seijuuro's mind. The other boy's actions perplexes Akashi that for the first time in his life he doesn't know what to respond for this kind of behaviour, he gauge Kise Ryouta for a while before he gives him a proper response. "I sincerely apologize for what I've done, believe me I don't have the intention to hurt you, in fact I have been meaning to apologize to you for the way I've been staring at you sometimes, my actions may have causes you great discomfort, don't worry I'll cease in doing that." The redhead finishes with a small bow.

Kise breaks a helpless sweat. "Seriously Akashi-san, you don't have to be so… formal." Deep inside something tells the blonde that he doesn't want the other boy to stop but he just shrugs it off. Nonetheless, Kise offers him a friendly smile, the smile which he is known for, and Seijuuro's unwillingly entrance by this foolish yet beautiful creature.

The emperor smirks. _"Do you see it now Seijuuro?"_ Akashi has no idea of what the other him was talking about, Seijuuro's too busy pondering for he has never felt something like this before. _"I also have no idea of what it is Seijuuro."_ The other he answered to his silent questions. _"But all I know is, Kise Ryouta is an outstanding creature to catch our attention no matter how a fool he could be, we would need him and make great use of him…"_ The emperor whispered through Seijuuro's ear and each words lacing with venom.

"You…" Akashi said cautiously while standing face-to-face with his other self in a world Seijuuro created in his mind. "What are you planning to do?" Seijuuro growls almost baring his teeth and the emperor with heterochromatic eyes just smirks at his other self and before he knows it, Akashi had black out all of a sudden, though on the outside world the redhead has gone still and his ruby-red eyes slowly dims.

"Anyway, I accept your apology Aka-chibi-kun." Kise said cheerfully, too cheerfully, that he immediately slaps his mouth shut at the way he had addressed the recognized redhead, he just gave him a nickname out of the blue, though the blonde thought Akashi is kind of fluffy because of his tuft red hair and small body frame which he finds shamelessly cute but one look at Akashi's sharp ruby-red eyes will tell you otherwise. The young heir is a perfect example of that old saying he recalls as 'Small but terrible', and of course Kise is not 'that' dumb to share this opinion with the redhead. "Ah… what I mean is I'm not 'quite' angry at you now, Akashi… cchi?" Kise quickly amends though he thinks he just messes the last part again. The blonde has a strange way of addressing other people he respects with '-cchi', nevertheless he thought the honorific is cute, and Akashi Seijuuro deserves to be on his cute list and be one of the people he respects. _Hopes Akashicchi won't mind._

Akashi had already finished treating Kise Ryouta's wounds and made a perfect job of bandaging it. Of course, it is expected to an Akashi to be superior in all areas including such simple tasks like treating and bandaging someone's wound. He heard the other boy has accepted his apology and even the endearing change of honorific at Akashi's name, Seijuuro may find it irritating or even embarrassing, but for 'him' Kise sounded so sincere. The emperor accepts his 'newfound' servant's answer but the golden beauty still yet have to please His Majesty. Rising slowly from the stool he is sitting on which the emperor finds kind of befitting for someone absolute as him, and blames Seijuuro for being too simpleminded.

Kise watches the other boy standing up in front of him with his head hanging low all this time after Akashi had apologized to him. He tries to peer under those red locks which are hanging down covering his eyes and when the young genius finally lifts his chin, the blonde almost gasp at the sudden change of his eyes, one of those lovely ruby red orbs turns into an ominous color of yellow. "A-Akaschicchi?" Kise utters almost like a hush whisper slightly shivering from the chill running down to his spine and then realizes he has just lost all of his strength that leaves him immobile.

"You can't escape now." The blonde doesn't know if that's figuratively, or literally, or maybe both. The boy who is supposedly to be Akashi Seijuuro but a lot different to the Akashi Seijuuro that everyone knows stares down at Kise like he's a completely different person who is just wearing the redhead's skin. He approaches him with slow almost chokingly domineering steps like a lion cornering his prey and closes the gap between them as Akashi stands between Kise's legs and places his knee on the bed dangerously near the blonde's crotch. Kise squirms when Akashi leans over him, one of his hands on the bed supporting his weight while the other tilts Kise's chin with a slender finger as if he is being examined, completely ensnaring the golden beauty.

Kise couldn't move a single finger as if he is being constrained by the other boy's pinning look, bringing him down to his 'place'. His other eye, the one with the ominous yellow color, eerily resembles Kise's gold-luminescent ones, but this one doesn't hold any brightness on them, only darkness and suffering. The emperor chuckles definitely enjoying the golden beauty's expressions as he hovers his face to his, torturing the blonde more with his cold breath. He has enough of Kise's insolence. Akashi will show him his place. "Nee Ryouta…" He tries mimicking Kise's childish tone but it turns out threatening and the blonde visibly stiffens that makes the emperor laugh, very pleased by his subject's submission to him. "You've said you were just 'quiet' angry after I hurt you…" Akashi trails off while perilously caressing his Kise's handsome face with his nails. Since Seijuuro's nails were properly trimmed it seems like the emperor is scratching his face rather than just caressing it lovingly with each gentle but hurtful strokes.

The blonde gulps as he stares wide eyed in panic and a hint of fear on them. And Akashi likes it, very likes it, the look on those lovely gold-luminescent eyes that had captivates the emperor is just so precious that he wants to gouge them out and keep it in a jar like a laboratory specimen, but of course, he still prefers his subject intact if he decide to turn him into a specimen. "Would you still be just 'quiet' angry…" Without a warning, the redhead suddenly grasps Kise's face with both hands his nails digging through his skin deep enough to hurt the blonde but not deep enough to draw actual blood, it would really be a waste to injure such a beautiful face. "Even if I hurt you like this?" The emperor asks in a challenging voice.

On other hand, Seijuuro witnesses the terror on Kise Ryouta's eyes, as if he is being locked up in a small room while watching everything that had occur through a single window, which appears to be Seijuuro's eyes where the other Akashi has always been watching, alone in this imaginary room where Seijuuro built himself in an attempt to cage 'him'. But Seijuuro doesn't plan to be confine in an imaginary place on his mind and with a great force of will he manages to shove the other Akashi away driving him back inside him where he belongs – in Seijuuro's mind. He slightly wonders if his other self has been taking over his body without his knowing and if it's possible, but if it does Seijuuro must watch out of his own self, though sometimes he allows his other self to switch places with him but only for a few moments when Akashi couldn't handle the stress being thrusts on him. Seijuuro is only human after all. However, there were times where he can't remember anything like what had happened inside the classroom when he fell asleep, sometimes Seijuuro doesn't know who the real him is. They are two minds clashing against one another, trying to win out one another, and affecting one another's personalities.

Kise is taking deep breaths when Akashi released him and once he is about to charge the other boy for ruining everything, the redhead gives him a long thoughtful look; his eyes appears to be back to normal with its lovely ruby-red irises glowing apologetically with a hint of sadness on them that the blonde is quiet taken aback. "Stay away from me." Akashi said instead, his voice sounding like an order, and with that the redhead swiftly left the room leaving Kise speechless and alone inside the infirmary.

The blonde absentmindedly touches his face where the other boy had just clawed him and sighs gratefully when he finds no damage, marring this handsome face will bring him trouble, it isn't like before where he could care less of his appearance but now things have changed, he needs to take good care of his appearance especially his face because that's where he would earn his money once he make a debut from modelling. Still, his concern lies more to Akashi Seijuuro and to his previous actions. He doesn't know how to explain the other boy's bipolar behaviour and the look on Akashi's face when he left looked kind of painful. Kise muses if the redhead is feeling okay. _Akashicchi…_

His line of sight catches a sunflower clip lying unsuitably on the floor. Kise was sure he didn't saw it when they entered the infirmary a while ago; maybe the redhead had dropped it on his way out? Though he isn't sure if this thing belongs to Akashi, a guy like the young heir would never own something girly, but the blonde is certain that it didn't belong to the infirmary. Kise picks the sunflower clip on the ground and finds out it is actually a hairclip. _What would Akashicchi do to a hairclip? Wear it on his hair?_ He chuckles at the thought as a warm feeling is spreading out through his chest like the warmth of Akashi's hand, of Akashi's fire. However it still didn't change the fact that it had burn him, and hurt him. Kise put the hairclip inside his pocket and decides to keep it for the meantime.

_**[To be continue…]**_

**Thank you for reading and I hope the characters weren't OOC especially Akashi QAQ This is my first attempt to write an angst and tragedy genre because I'm not really an angsty author lol I'm more in humor and fluff, but anyway I hope the future chapters will come out like I expected, I HOPE XD I hope it will satisfy the readers' taste, and mine QAQ **

"**Aka-chibi-kun~!" Sorry I just can't help it, if there's one person who will dare to call Akashi like this I think it would be Kise XD though surely Kise is digging his own grave here XD I think this nickname is really cute and kind of suits Akashi since he's 'red' and 'small' XDD since we already have Reo to call him Sei-chan :D **

**Reviews are always appreciated~! Till next time! :-) **


	4. Bird

**This will be the last update for this month, I should really update my other stories but I really like writing this one, the next update will be next month hopefully after my exams, I do really need to study T.T Thank you for those people who had reviewed the last chapter :-) And also for those people who add this to their fave and story alert, thank you! I hope minnacchi will look forward on this story ;) Again, I apologized for the bad English and wrong grammars. English is not my native language so I hope you'll understand. Kuroko no Basuke and its characters belonged to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. I only owned the plot and nothing else. Any similarity of this fanfic to other works is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.**

Four: Bird

It was a cold wet morning when Akashi Seijuuro, seven years old, ran back inside the Akashi manor dripping wet from head to toe with a small bird on his hands, the servants were very surprise to find their young master covered in filth; mud and leaves on his supposedly fine clothing, as the young master rarely gets his clothes dirtied as he was trained to be neat and proper, but now here he is standing in the doorway with cuts and bruises; especially on his hands where the tiny little bird he was holding kept on pecking him restlessly. The headmaster will not be very amused if he finds his son in such a state. The boy had already been gone for almost half the day and his father was not very pleased by the behaviour. "Seijuuro-sama, where have you been? And what happened to you?"

The servants had already gone to fuss on him; swiftly drying his hair with a towel while removing his muddy shoes when he heard a loud heavy calm voice from above. "Seijuuro, explain all of this." A man with fiery red hair like Seijuuro descended from the stairs and all of the servants immediately backed away as they bowed their heads in respect and _fear_. The maids who were fretting over Seijuuro stepped behind the little redhead while still holding the towels and his shoes that were dripping with mud. He saw his father eyed the objects before focusing his look on his son.

"Forgive me father, I was out in the stables feeding the horses when suddenly it rained heavily and I ran back home as fast as I can." Seijuuro answered with a small bow and he didn't missed when his father raised an eyebrow at his excuse, and eyed the servants around them who were visibly cowering in fear.

"You... A future master of this household had neglected his studies and went to feed the horses instead…" The headmaster of the Akashi household said in a disbelieving tone at the notion and glared at each every servant who was standing nearby the father and the son. "I believe it is not your duty Seijuuro." His words were clearly directed to their servants as they hanged their heads in shame. The younger Akashi finally decided to speak up, feeling the need to defend the people who serves and _cares_ for him.

"Father, they have done nothing wrong…"

"Seijuuro." His father swiftly cut him off and eyed him down carefully. Those cold red calculating eyes were enough to completely silence the boy. "You were making me more and more disappointed, Seijuuro. First, you have neglected your chores, and now you're defying me by talking back at your father to defend these people…" The older male Akashi said in slight disgust as he gestured his hands to the servants lining around them. "It's their job Seijuuro, and it's had nothing to do with you because your own duty is to study and be competent to lead this household and continue its legacy in the future." His father turned his attention to the maids standing behind the little redhead. "Next time, I will not tolerate incompetence again in this household or you will just find yourselves packing." The maids who were holding the towels and dirty shoes of Seijuuro replied a meek 'yes' while shivering on their knees. They were the ones who were assigned to look after the young master.

Seijuuro secretly made an eye contact with the maids behind him, an apologetic look on his face and they just gave him a small understanding smile in return, if his father catches either one of them they will receive immediate punishment on the spot and it will be a severe one. The headmaster was about to leave when he noticed the young heir was hiding something in his hands. The little redhead noticed it too, he was hoping that his father wouldn't notice, but when the older male Akashi narrowed his eyes Seijuuro had no choice and the boy unwillingly clasped open his hands revealing an injured little bird that had kept pecking his hands the whole time.

The younger Akashi didn't mind the cuts and bloods on his hands caused by the bird's relentless pecking but the older male Akashi did mind as he glared at his son. "What's the meaning of this Seijuuro?" His father looked very angry now as he crossed his arms on his chest silently demanding for an explanation and it must be a reasonable one.

"My, what's with the commotion…" A soft gentle voice suddenly interrupted and a beautiful woman dressed in lovely clothing; signifying the Lady of the Akashi household, appeared on the hallway with some maids following behind her and had a very worried expression on her beautiful face. "Sei-kun! My dear what happened to you?!" His mother hurriedly went after him and touched him in different places to check on her son. Seijuuro just smiled and told his beloved mother that she doesn't have to worry as he was just completely fine. His mother still didn't stop as she wiped the mud on his face with her gentle hands and was about to hug her son when she noticed the injured little bird on his hold.

"Mother…" Seijuuro called out softly to his mother as he looked up to her eyes and the female Akashi immediately knew the silent plead of her son asking for her help to convince his own father who was also her husband and powerful head of the Akashi family. The older male Akashi just watched his wife and son with a clear look of disappointment on his face.

"Dear…" Seijuuro's mother started but his father held up his hand to stop his wife from whatever she was about to say. A silent exchanged of looks passed between the two male Akashis and the younger male didn't back down and a satisfied smirk appeared on his father's face. Nobody said a thing when the headmaster left and Seijuuro's mother quietly took the bird on his hold in a gentle manner and smiled proudly at her son. He and his father had just had an agreement.

The bird had been clean up and cleared from the mud and leaves when Seijuuro saw it lying on the ground near the horses' stables trying desperately to fly with its wing broken, the boy could now fully see and admire its beautiful feathers. They were bright yellow with little specks of red at the end like Akashi's hair. His mother had called a vet to treat the poor little thing and the boy also learned that the bird he 'saved', as his mother likes to put it, was a special kind of breed. The following days Seijuuro tried to feed the bird but it attacked him and not only him, it appeared that it attacked anyone who came near to it.

But the young heir didn't want to give up; everyday he tried to caressed the bird even though it would scratch him back with its sharp claws and kept pecking his hand every time he fed it. His mother and everyone in the household would always warned him to be careful and Seijuuro didn't really like the idea of losing especially to a tiny little bird no less. "Why does it keep on attacking me when I'm being really nice to it? Look bird, I even accepted your hobby of scratching me. Don't you feel even the slightest sorry for the man who saved you from that stink of _horseshit_?" Seijuuro _almost_ whined and his mother quickly reprimanded him of using such word and the boy realized his mistake and apologized.

The young heir was not allowed to use such words spontaneously and he must always look out after his words that may bring shame to the family even if it's a simple or mindless swearing. Seijuuro was being trained to choose his words carefully and wisely. He was brought up to be a disciplined and respected individual like all of his previous ancestors. One of the golden rules and motto of the Akashi family is 'Think before you speak' and therefore, Seijuuro was already practicing and trying to apply it on his life although sometimes the boy just want to loosened up even just for a bit, where he could be anything without the criticizing of his father and everyone outside the Akashi household where they have all great expectations towards the seven year old boy, as the future head and heir. His mother suddenly ruffled his hair after picking up his silence and sadness, as Seijuuro leaned more to his mother's warm touch and with a gentle voice and comforting hand she said, "It's okay Sei-kun, you can do anything that you want as long as I'm with you, Mother will protect you."

Seijuuro looked up at his mother with a big smile on his face. "Thank you mother, but this bird's claws and beak really did hurt." Both mother and son laughed as the rest of the day the redheaded boy continued to tame the little bird with his beloved mother watching supportively from the side lines. He hissed in pain when the bird clawed yet at him again_. 'What an ungrateful little creature, this bird doesn't have any gratitude after what we did for it, this mindless creature isn't worthy of your sympathy Seijuuro, you should have just left it to die back there.'_ A voice, he heard a voice, a child's voice maybe somewhere around his age, spoke at him. Seijuuro quickly looked around but there's no other kid aside from him in this room, he's the only child in the manor after all. "Eh?"

"You keep the calling bird '_it_' Sei-kun, maybe that's why he keeps being hostile at you." His mother said when she approached his son completely not noticing the boy's other distress and the young heir chose to dismiss the weird voice he'd just heard as he turned his attention towards his beloved mother who was already suggesting some good names for the vicious little bird. Seijuuro noticed that they were all boys' names and went to ask his mother. "Why? Do you want a girly name instead Sei-kun?" The female Akashi asked her son mischievously.

"No, but we didn't know if it's a boy or a girl, ah we should have just ask the vet but he had already left…" Seijuuro said in an _almost_ sad voice. Another rule of the Akashi family is never show your real emotions and his mother couldn't help but to pitied her son. She really hoped Seijuuro would never grow into an unfeeling man.

The female Akashi patted his head to cheer him up and smiled brightly. Seijuuro really loves it when his beloved mother smiles. "Then, why don't you just give him a unisex name Sei-kun?" The woman suggested and the younger Akashi smiled back and nodded at the brilliant solution when suddenly the older male Akashi entered the room and Seijuuro stopped himself from hiding behind his mother's skirt as he meets his father's expectant look head on. The Lady of the Akashi household secretly smiled at her son's display of maturity.

"It seems you still haven't properly train this bird well, Seijuuro." The headmaster of the Akashi household simply stated as he eyed his son challengingly, Seijuuro returned his father's look full with determination and the man just smirked. "Very well, I expect this bird to obey you." The younger Akashi noticed that the said bird had backed away and both mother and son were slightly surprised to see that the vicious bird, as everyone labelled it, who had threatened every member of the Akashi household with its claws and beak was now shivering on the corner if that's possible. Even a mindless animal had been dominated by his father like an Akashi he was, but instead of feeling intimidated it only fuelled Seijuuro more to accept his father's silent challenge.

"I will father." The redheaded boy said in resolution and the next few days Seijuuro and the bird had formed a relationship in which the boy could not quite put a name on, this feeling of happiness every time the little bird would rubbed its tiny head on Seijuuro's cheek or snuggled up against him rather comfortably and when it leaned on his touch every time he petted its head or touched its feathers. The bird would also roam freely around the manor and would always come back for Akashi as it landed on his arm or shoulder. It always get back even though Seijuuro had decided to free the bird and return it to its original habitat.

When the younger Akashi excitedly brought this news to his father, the older male Akashi looked down at him with very cold eyes, so cold that Seijuuro froze on his feet and watched as his father snapped the bird's neck in front of his son. Horrified, the boy looked up at his father with bewildered eyes. "It seemed that I hadn't made myself clear…" The headmaster of the Akashi household said as he casually threw away like a disposable object the bird's lifeless body in a nearby trash bin. "I told you that I expected _it_ to obey you."

The word '_it_' had been ringing inside Seijuuro's head, after all he hadn't had a chance to give the little bird a proper name. Rage, the boy could feel rage boiling up inside his chest but when he snapped his head up to speak his father's piercing gaze left his jaw hanging, leaving Seijuuro shamelessly gaping like an idiot with his teeth chattering in pure fear. The older male Akashi eyed his son in dismay while pinning him with razor like ruby-red eyes, holding him down to his proper place. And Seijuuro perfectly knew where it is, and he had never felt frustrated before by the big difference in their position. He was only an apprentice training to succeed his master, instead of a son who is following his father's footsteps. "I told you to teach _it_ to _obey_ you, but you taught _it_ to _love_ you."

Those words echoed inside Akashi's mind up until now. The redhead never bawled his eyes out like any ordinary kid would do in this kind of situation, because he was not an ordinary kid, he was an Akashi, and an Akashi never cry much less bawling your own eyes out, because an Akashi never shows his or her weakness, simply because an Akashi has no weaknesses. But in the end, his true feelings betrayed him as Seijuuro felt something wet on his cheeks and realized that he was crying until his mother showed up and silently wiped her son's tears and whispered, "It's okay Sei-kun, mother will always be here for you."

Akashi remembered that it was the first time he had ever cried and the last time. He had always thought that he had never cried in his life but when he sees Kise Ryouta again as if it's the first time ever since that incident on the infirmary clinic, his mind suddenly flashed back to that time when he was just a kid and about the bird, the very first and last _friend_ that he had made. Its yellow feathers as he recalls were the same bright yellow like Kise's hair. After that little incident, his mother had passed away a few years after, driving Akashi over the edge to the point he had never cried when he was supposed to be mourning for his lost, he was just trembling, shaking like a leaf, and slowly breaking but still no tears came out even if he wanted to, turning him into a living stone. He had also forgotten about the bird and everything that had made him happy, including the smile of his mother.

'_Mother had broken her promise with us as she had lost the strength to stay.'_ He remembered his other self whispered to him inside his head when Seijuuro got to the hospital and saw her lifeless body being covered up with the hospital sheet. Akashi remembered all of it just now, his other self had been communicating with him even since then before his mother died and after he learned of his existence. 'He' had been communicating with him; despairingly reaching out to him ever since he could remember, but Seijuuro always forget him. _'Finally gaining some of your memories Seijuuro?'_ The emperor said with a smirk.

"A-akashicchi?"

. . . . .

It is a cold wet Friday morning when Kise looked outside the window from his classroom, the rain was pouring down heavily as it hits the window in a pitter-patter, frosting the glass panes making a white blur as Kise absentmindedly write Akashi Seijuuro's name on the window, he was too deep in thought that it was already too late when he notices their teacher standing beside his seat, tapping her foot expectantly with her arms crossed on her chest demandingly. "Kise-san, do you mind sharing the class what you've been writing there?" The woman said with her eye slightly twitching with a scary smile on her face that blonde slightly shriek in terror.

"Hoh~ what is this?" A boy with tanned skin and midnight blue hair who was sitting in front of him turned on his back to look at the words that the blonde had scribbled. "Akashi Seijuuro? Heh~ looks like someone got a crush with our class president~." The ganguro said in a loud teasing voice and Kise immediately shot him a look.

"Aominecchi!" Kise scolded in a hushed voice and the other boy just stuck his tongue out at him and the blonde stops himself from punching the lights out of Aomine Daiki. The bluehead is a member of the basketball club although he still hasn't seen him play and Aomine likes to brag how he was chosen to be the team's ace by some second year student who is the current captain of Teikou's basketball team, and Kise had learned that the ganguro received a basketball scholarship for that, which means he must be really good.

The blonde has a newfound respect towards the boy whom he thought was only a pervert because of the lewd magazines he always brings to school and likes to share with Kise, not that the blonde had read any of it. Aomine just likes to brag his Mai-chan collection who is a very busty girl, and later on their redhead president found it and confiscated the said materials. Kise is also aware that the proclaimed ace developed a childish grudge against Akashi because of what happen.

"Eh! Is that true Dai-cha… I mean Aomine-kun? Ki-chan has a crush on Akashi-kun?!" A girl with long pink hair exclaimed so loud that everyone turned their heads on Akashi who was sitting at the very front. The blonde just slaps his forehead and sighs. Momoi Satsuki does really have a good hearing like the Queen of Gossips she was. She is Aomine's seatmate and childhood friend, the pinknette also happens to be Teikou basketball team's strategist and base from what Kise heard, Momoi is very skilled in her profession and the blonde respects her for that despite not seeing it on first-hand. Momoi is also good academically and kind enough to teach Kise during their Math lesson which earned her the address of 'Momoicchi.'

"Mou… Momoicchi, you have just embarrassed me-ssu." Kise muttered and the girl just winks at him. The blonde notices that the redhead is just perfectly calm despite of the small commotion and he hasn't look on his way, not even a single glance, since that incident on the infirmary clinic. This brings an upsetting feeling on Kise and he removes his hand from his face, looking straight on the back of Akashi's head hoping that the other boy would just look at him once again. But the boy doesn't appear to be affected despite of the gossips spreading around thanks to Momoi.

The redhead has been perfectly avoiding him these past few days, Kise should feel grateful because he doesn't really want to deal with Akashi staring at him as if he's an ornament of some kind like he did before, and it seems the tables had turned against the blonde, Kise sometimes would just find himself staring at Akashi the whole day, just like what's happening right now. "…Kise-san? Kise-san? Kise Ryuota-san!"

He quickly snaps out from his thoughts and the teacher sighs as her lips turns into a scary smile again and Kise drop a sweat. "Meet me in detention after class." The woman said firmly and went to continue their lesson whatever it is and the blonde catches his friends grinning knowingly at him.

"Poor Ki-chan he got himself sent to detention because of his one-sided love with Akashi-kun." Momoi whispers at him dramatically with a dreamy sigh.

"Akashi will surely melt someday if you keep staring at him like an idiot." Aomine remarks, and the blonde realizes that the other boy is right as he finds himself staring yet again on Akashi's small back which is facing at him rather coldly. He quickly averts his eyes completely embarrassed that his friends have just caught him in action, not that he is doing anything bad, but Kise feels guilty for staring at the enigmatic redhead. He's not the only one though; Akashi has a lot of fans that could rival his.

When class finished Aomine slaps him on the back to bid goodbye and Momoi just gives him a thumbs up and said good luck in detention. "Mou… you guys are so meannn." He said while purposely puffing his cheeks cutely and the bluehead almost puke and the pinknette just pats his head like a dog and tells him to be a good boy as the two left. Kise is surprise to see their vice president Midorima Shintaro in detention with him. "Midorimacchi! Why are you also here in detention?!" The blonde asks rather loudly that his voice even resonate around the room.

The greenhead fingered his right ear where Kise had just shouted at him to check if his eardrums got damaged as he glares at the other boy. "Please refrain from shouting Kise, I don't want to be deaf, and do not get too close at me, Oha Asa said I should stay away from idiots to avoid bad luck."

"That's so mean Midorimacchi! Are you telling me that I'm an idiot?!" The blonde cried yet again with tears forming on the corner of his eyes and Midorima just raised an eyebrow wondering if it's real or not. A scowl is present on his lips when the other boy had just shouted at him again.

"That's what just I said, what are you an idiot? Oh never mind that, you are indeed an idiot, just go die quietly and please if you do, do it somewhere far away from me." Midorima said calmly while closing his eyes tiredly when Kise started to bawls his eyes out while saying his infamous line, 'So mean-ssu!' A headache is threatening to form in the greenhead's nerves. "Why do I have to be stuck babysitting this idiot?" The poor vice president sighs at his bad luck and considers answering Kise's first question to humour the blonde so he would shut the hell up and drop all the drama. "The teacher brings me to detention because of this…" Kise's eyes almost jump out from its sockets when the other boy took out a lewd magazine.

"Midorimacchi! I never knew you were into busty girls like Aominecchi!" Kise couldn't hide the shock from his voice and the bespectacled boy immediately blushed while stuttering 'I do not!' reasoning that it is his lucky item. "Are you sure it is your lucky item for today Midorimacchi?" The blonde said doubtfully. "Because I think it isn't considered a lucky item at all, you were sent to detention because of it, or could it be you're just being a tsundere again and do not want to admit that you and Aominecchi has the same type?" Kise taunts while wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Anyway, it's nice to have your friend with you here in detention." He said rather happily and latches onto Midorima's arm before the greenhead could protest.

"Do not compare me with that hentai ganguro! And get off me!" Midorima complains as he pushes Kise away while palming on that handsome model face of his. The other boy removes his hand away from his face and grins idiotically back at him that Midorima almost breaks a lens of his eyeglasses.

"But Midorimacchi didn't deny that we're friends~ I'm so happy-ssu~." Kise points out in a sing sang voice and the greenhead immediately blush and quickly looks away. _Cute_, the blonde thinks. Midorima's cool level head ness and tsundere side earned him Kise's respect even though the blonde finds the Oha Asa fanatic somewhat weird, but it's okay because he himself is also weird. Kise has great respect for those people who could express their passion like Midorima does even though some people find it really odd.

"Is that hairclip just come out from your pocket?" The vice president suddenly asks as he eyes the sunflower hairclip lying on the floor. Kise immediately picks it up slightly embarrassed and before he could put it back inside his pant-pocket Midorima claims, " I believe it was mine, it was one of my previous lucky items, though I had already gave it to Akashi… maybe he hasn't use it?" The greenhead said more to himself as he adjusts his eyeglasses up to the bridge of his nose.

"Eh? So it really belongs to Akashicchi?" The blonde asks to no one in particular and closes his palm encasing the hairclip as he holds it rather tightly bringing it to his chest. Kise's insides starts to warm up again whenever he thinks of the redhead yet it also hurt whenever he remembers Akashi's cold back facing him, refusing to meet his eyes, those ruby-red catlike orbs, he wants to see it again, Kise wants Akashi to look at him again even though the other boy had already told him to stay away. Every single day that he sees the redhead, the blonde realizes that he has been enduring it all; bearing how far Akashi is from his reach. Absentmindedly, Kise put the hairclip on his hair, clipping it on the side preventing his bangs from slipping away to his forehead. Midorima gapes at him and asks what in the world he was doing. "How do I look like Midorimacchi?"Kise asks instead with a matching pose, ignoring the other boy's confusion.

"Like an idiot." The greenhead replies with a tired sigh.

. . . . .

'He' laughed when he saw the golden beauty staring at him for the tenth time this day and a hundredth time this week, or technically speaking at Seijuuro. Akashi heard the other him laughed. "Aren't you enjoying it too much?" Seijuuro conversed in his mind. The emperor laughed again. _'Look at him, he looks like a dog that had just lost its owner, nee… don't you agree with me Seijuuro?'_ The other Akashi asks in a playful voice as they both watched Kise Ryouta out from the corner of their eyes, Seijuuro could clearly saw the blonde even in his peripheral vision, he also noticed that his eyesight was just really good, but Seijuuro didn't answer and looked on the other side earning him a disapproving 'click' from the emperor's tongue. _'You cannot avoid him forever Seijuuro, like how you were trying to avoid me…'_ The redhead immediately stopped from whatever he was doing and he could feel the emperor leaning closer to his ear as if he was really there. _'You cannot deny my existence Seijuuro, no matter how hard you try, you cannot deny me again like what you always did from the past, you were already completely aware of my existence so simply denying me wouldn't work…'_ He could feel 'his' breathe on his ear. _'…because you will need me, no you need me now more than ever, you know it don't you Seijuuro?'_ The emperor taunts and Seijuuro silently gritted his teeth. _'You just won't admit it to yourself.'_

Akashi squeezed his eyes shut and growled lowly, "Be quiet."

When he reaches to his locker to get his shoes after doing some tasks with the teachers in the faculty room, he meets face-to-face with Kise Ryouta whose beauty has been hunting him even in his sleep. The other boy is also surprise himself, Akashi immediately lingers his look on Kise's wrist and sees the bandage was already gone, it must had already healed by now and he admits it's quite a relief, apparently Kise had followed his look. The redhead knew that the blonde didn't miss the relieved look on his eyes, Kise's eyes tell otherwise, as the golden beauty tries to hide it by looking anywhere except Akashi but in the end he has him pinned down with his red-ruby eyes.

The young heir immediately notices the hairclip adorning the other boy's hair, the sunflower design that Midorima gave him, he recalls he had lost it and wonders how it end up in Kise's possession and why is the golden beauty wearing it? Not that it doesn't suits him, the hairclip just fits perfectly with Kise's hair blending in with his golden locks. Akashi could also clearly see his gold-luminescent eyes thanks to that ridiculous hairclip which was holding his bangs and showing his forehead. Ryouta's eyes are like a mirror, like gold glasses illuminating under the dim light of the cold and empty hallway, capturing, capturing him and Seijuuro. _Seijuuro… Ryouta… Ryouta?!_ Akashi stops his train of thoughts as he realizes it was not his, it belongs to the emperor.

He was not the one who was being mesmerized by Kise, it was 'him'. Seijuuro realizes as he stares at Kise Ryouta's eyes. A flash of lightning and the sudden clap of thunder reminds the two boys that it was still raining heavily outside when suddenly something clicks inside Akashi's head, images… a flash of images of a bird that he had saved when he was a kid during a weather like this, and a voice speaking to him inside his head, the bird's beautiful yellow feathers, his father snapping the poor bird's neck into two, his mother's promise, and finally the voice who had made him realized that he was not alone… _'Finally gaining some of your memories Seijuuro?' _The emperor said with a smirk.

"A-akashicchi?" Kise finally said uncertainly as he calls out to the redhead who is standing in front of him near his shoe locker. The blonde was surprised to see Akashi alone in the lockers after his detention session with the vice president and realizes the boy must have finished doing some school work and without the help of the greenhead due to being in detention, Akashi must have stayed up late and is now preparing to go home. "A-ano…" Kise speaks again when the other boy didn't answer and he couldn't quite clearly seethe redhead's face because of the dark hallway and the dim lighting. The storm outside doesn't really help at the situation as the sky was completely dark effectively blocking whatever light that may pass inside the now gloomy school building when it is still in the afternoon.

He saw Akashi eyed his wrist for a moment and seemed relieved when he met those red-ruby eyes. Kise consciously averted his gaze when finally his wish has been granted but still he doesn't have the courage to look back as he tried to focus his attention on other things although at the end the redhead had managed to pin him down with just one look. "D-do you have an umbrella? The rain is really heavy outside you know… you don't want yourself to get wet." The blonde notices that Akashi was already holding a small folded black umbrella on his other hand and he inwardly facepalm at his stupid question. A long awkward moment has passed and Kise is thinking of leaving the other boy like the redhead had ordered him to stay away when Akashi suddenly speaks.

"I already have one." Akashi simply replies for the first time since he started to avoid the other boy after he had arranges his thoughts and arrives in a conclusion. He moves to turn around when the golden beauty calls out to him in a rather pleading voice, and he could say that 'he' is please.

"A-ano!" It was too late when Kise realizes he had just call out after the redhead and to his absent relief Akashi stops before he could turn his back on him again. The blonde grips the handle of his umbrella really tight and asks in a rather loud voice, "I forgot to bring my own umbrella so please share your umbrella with me!" He croaks with his eyes squeezed shut with his head slightly bowing down.

The young heir just raises an eyebrow in question as he looks over at the folded big umbrella in Kise's rather tight grip that he could see his hand quite shaking. Akashi muses if the other boy has a fever from the redness crawling on his handsome face up to the tips of his ears. "And what is that thing that you're holding? I believe you haven't forgotten to bring your umbrella at all Kise." He firmly points out. _'Seijuuro…'_ The emperor inside his head warns. _'Being coy doesn't suits you at all so stop it this instant, if you're thinking of running away again, trust me this move wouldn't work.'_ He heard the other him sighs in defeat. _'Very well, I won't do anything at Ryouta, you have my word Seijuuro, and you know that an Akashi never breaks his word.'_ The emperor said in an assuring voice but Seijuuro swears he could feel poison dripping from his tone.

"Tch." The redhead unconsciously clicks his tongue in an unbefitting manner that the emperor just smirks and the other boy has just heard it.

"Is that a no?" Kise asks in an obvious hopeless voice even though he tries to hide it but unfortunately for him someone like Akashi would never miss something like this.

"May I ask why you want to share an umbrella with me when you have brought your own?" The young heir finally decides to consider and go along with it as he asked in a rather demanding tone. He still has his guard up, but for whom? Akashi doesn't really know if it is for the strange feeling he has for Kise? Or for the monster who likes to call himself emperor that was hiding inside him? Who is he really guarding? Himself or Kise Ryouta? Akashi always finds himself asking these questions, but the look on Kise's face involuntarily brings a small smile to his own face and decides to just forget all of it for the meantime. "Though we will not both fit in my umbrella you know, so I suggests that we use yours considering it was big enough to fit us both."

Kise wasn't aware that he was puffing his cheeks like what he did with Aomine and Momoi when Akashi had asked him and since he has no reasonable excuse to come up with he just opted to be quiet while unconsciously puffing his cheeks the whole time and when the redhead looks up at him again, a small smile has unexpectedly forms on his lips that it sends Kise's heart fluttering. _How weird_, he had seen Akashi smile before but not as genuine as this one. The blonde could feel his heart beating strangely fast.

Akashi has just suggested to use his umbrella instead and along the way Kise couldn't help smiling as they walk side by side with the pitter-patter of the rain against his umbrella as he holds it out for them. The smaller boy has his own umbrella folded inside his school bag. No one speak and both individuals enjoy the cold wet atmosphere and find the presence of one another rather comforting, along with Akashi's memories of his first _friend_, and it seems like _it_ would not be the last.

Unbeknown to them, the clock was already ticking, and slowly, slowly, when it reaches the appointed time like Cinderella when the clock struck twelve, everything will vanish, the magic would disappear, and everything would be back to its original form, but not with Seijuuro, the emperor, and the golden beauty. When the clock struck for them, the poison had already spread out, leaving only death and tragedy on its wake. Before anyone could realize that it was already too late…

_[To be continue…]_

**6, 166 words! That's kind of a feat for me and I hope this was long enough to satisfy everyone because I will be gone hopefully not for a long time to catch up with my studies, and everything that has been happening in the real world! Hahaha! I know I have already said this before but I really do enjoy writing this fic more than anything, so I think it will be the frequent one to have updates until it finishes hopefully XD Again, I hope the characters weren't OOC and I really haven't plan to add Aomine and Momoi in this chapter but oh well, they were bound to appear anyway and I apologize if I inserted some MidoKi/KiMido moments here hahaha ;) I just couldn't help it, I just discovered Midorima was actually really fun to write:D So maybe he'll appear more in the future chapters but don't worry AkaKi is still the main pairing here, though maybe Midorima will appear in the side lines and other more characters… who knows? XD I would like to focus this fic more to Akashi and emperor Akashi, I just realizes a guy with a split personality was really enjoyable to write, and also Kise-kun though honestly I do not know how will I portray him here, as the Kise in my two other fics were doing just fine that they have passed my standard, but in here I'm just not satisfied with my Kise here, so Ryouta will be quite a big challenge for me. I hope Kise-kun didn't turned out OOC in here T.T**

**Anyway, thank you for reading and reviews are always appreciated. Till next time~! :D**


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